Service provides home-delivered groceries to Nevada County residents

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For the hungry and time-crunched, a new grocery delivery business will bring groceries right to your door.

Groceries on the Way will be available May 1 for Grass Valley, Nevada City, Alta Sierra, Lake Wildwood, Penn Valley and San Juan.

“I thought it would be a really great idea after looking at all my friends and people with kids and how busy their lives can get,” said owner Pamela Tambourine, who lives in Nevada City with her husband, Ronnie, and daughter Lillia. “I think it’s something people will be excited about. It’s in pretty high demand.”

Tambourine came up with the idea for the business after her friend had broken her leg and needed help getting to the grocery store with her small children.

“She was on crutches with small children and said she was in dire straits,” Tambourine said.

The food service industry is nothing new to Tambourine, who owned Cabin Stockers when she lived near Tahoe and volunteered for Meals on Wheels for two years with her daughter, who helps with Groceries on the Way.

“I stocked cabins with skis and groceries in condos or homes people would rent out,” Tambourine said. “And from Meals on Wheels, we know how to keep food cool, and you had to write down the temperatures and everything.”

The pricing for Groceries on the Way involves a fee based on the number of items and a $2 per mile charge or $25 flat delivery rate.

“I charge for shopping for items because we don’t want to jack that up because you can buy two things for $25,” Tambourine said. “Everything is in a 13-mile radius, so the delivery fee is really to cover gas and any kind of maintenance, which can happen with travel.”

The service can be paid for with debit, cash or checks, orders can be taken by text or email, and payment is not made until delivery.

“People will end up paying about $30 to get their food, local people probably about $15 to $20,” Tambourine said.

Another feature is that only one delivery fee is required for communal places with multiple orders, she said.

“For any senior homes, we’re going to let them put multiple orders together, and I’ll separate them and have one delivery fee,” Tambourine said.

Not only does the service assist those in need of home-delivered groceries, but a portion of the cost for the service is donated to the Nevada County food bank.

“They have a home-bound delivery service with free food and delivery, and we donate a percentage to the program,” Tambourine said.

Groceries on the Way also refrains from use of plastic bags, she said.

“We bring everything in crates or boxes,” Tambourine said. “Anything that can be recycled.”

A natural people person, Tambourine said she is looking forward to offering the service to the community.

“I’ve always worked in the service industry,” Tambourine said. “I’m very people-oriented, and it just seemed like the people of Nevada County needed something like this.”